He Calls For You
by Yitani East
Summary: A desperate plea from an old friend. Uryuu has been gravely injured and he needs his father. Isshin has no choice but to appeal to an estranged friend. Rated for language and inspired by the fanfiction Entropy by ncfan.
1. Chapter 1

_Here I am! After a rather lengthy but not life threatening hospital stay and sabbatical. A heartfelt note to all of the people reading my Zelda fanfiction: I'm so sorry, but it seems my old computer gave up the ghost before I could save the rest of my chapters to a flash drive. Once I'm able to afford a new computer and transfer all of the files, I should be able to easily post the last three chapters of the sequel and the first five chapters of The Good Doctor. I warn you though it may not be for another month or so. Thank you for your patience. _

_Anyway. This is an idea I've been toying with for a while. It's a tester for my new story idea involving Bleach another anime I've gotten into since I was last admitted to the hospital. I may or may not continue this. It depends on how much free time I have. Either way, this story is not meant to make complete sense. Those of you who've read my stuff already know that this is most likely headed toward some major whumping of various characters. I don't want to expound on what's happening just yet. However, I'll tell you that this is not an "Aizen released" story. So don't expect him to be back anytime soon._

_Names you may not recognize:_

_Aisuru Ishida_

_Meaning: Loving_

_Role: Uryuu's deceased mother. Mentioned often but still dead._

_Takari Morishitta_

_Meaning: Treasure_

_Role: Original Character. Ichigo and Uryuu's godmother. An old friend of Isshin's and Ryuuken's_

He Calls for You:

This is a desperate plea from an old friend.

Ryuuken could hear the commotion all the way from his office and tried to ignore it. At the very least, he could act like he hadn't heard this oh-so-familar woman storming down the halls to his office without even bothering to call or _Kami forbid_ set an appointment. Nope. It had been almost fifteen years and she hadn't changed. You'd think that was enough time for a person to become quieter or more subtle. Apparently not. As he looked through his papers, he nonchalantly counted backward from ten. As he heard the unmistakable footfalls of those infamous high heeled boots, he thought back to a time when that loud "click, click, click" used to strike fear into the hearts of Shinigamis and Quincies alike. He smirked at the memory and wondered if she had anymore kids since they parted but once the thought crossed his mind he frowned. He wasn't sure if he could take anymore miniature versions of that woman crowding up the world.

"W-wait! You can't go in there!" A rather helpless intern said attempting to get in her way. Ryuuken wondered how on earth an intern found his way to this wing of the hospital.

"Ma'am? Ma'am! You can't go in there!" That was his secretary. He couldn't help but notice that the young man didn't even bother to get up from his chair. Smart boy. If he had blocked the door, she'd probably hurt him. Kami forbid she even knocked before she quite literally kicked the door open. He'd been expecting this the entire time. He coolly looked up with a raised eyebrow.

"You still don't know how to knock." Ryuuken remarked sitting back in his chair. He was met the sound of a slamming door instead of the usually snarky greeting. He could already sense that things had truly changed even though the mannerisms she was known for were practically the same. He sighed and looked up at his friend from the old days. He wasn't surprised that she'd got older. He was almost forty three that made her forty five if a few years off.

She'd always been tall. The heels from her boots didn't make it any less obvious. She'd gained a few wrinkles though her figure hadn't changed, oddly enough. Crow's feet, laugh lines basic middle aged stamps marked her dark skinned but her rather shapely frame had gone unscathed. Her eyes hadn't changed either.. Sharp, unbearable orbs of bright, piercing green. Aisuru always said that you could tell she was looking at you when the back of your head started to burn. He had known her hair to be short and kept in a natural style she called an "afro". He wasn't exactly up to date on the way African American females keep their hair. Once stark black, her salt and pepper hair was braided now and if it weren't tied up in that white scarf, would probably reach as far as her waist. Like him and Isshin, She was still very much a child of the seventies and early eighties, that much was obvious by the gray leggings hiding from under her famous boots, peasant blouse and knee length skirt not to mention she was still wearing those troublesome large hoop earrings. It was a wonder her ear lobes hadn't reached her shoulders by now.

"You're staring." She said flatly. "You're happy to see me considering the words we traded when we last saw each other." Ryuuken smirked.

"I can't hide anything from you can I, Morishitta-san?" His old friend's frown grew deeper.

"You used to call me by my first name." She replied icily. "Call me Takari. Aisuru would." This struck a chord with Ryuuken. She knew it would because she was _right_.

"Aisuru is not here." He stated matching her cold tone.

"I know. I was at her funeral." Takari changed the subject. She wasn't here is discuss the details of his wife and one of her closest friends. "Isshin's already been by here. I take it that's why you're not surprised that I'm here." Ryuuken visibly relaxed.

"Yes." He replied frankly. "And I have no interest in involving myself with Shinigami." Takari rolled her eyes.

"My God, you've changed. Isshin warned me you'd be like this but I didn't want to believe it." She said quietly. She folded her arms shifting her weight to both feet. "So I take it you know about the conflict in the Seiretei?" Ryuuken nodded. "And your son's involvement in it?"

"I have no intention of catering to his childish whims." Takari didn't respond for a minute. Ryuuken wasn't speaking out of anger or diappointment but hurt and pain. He just wasn't good at saying it out loud. Ever. It was as if she were holding something back like a secret or something.

"Ryuuken..."

"If he wishes to involve himself in a battle that is neither necessary or..."

"When did you get so jaded?" Takari interjected. She paused and shook her head with a disappointed sigh. "Oh no, I remember. I was there." She chastised herself. If she had gone any further it would've been a cheap shot, but she for discretion's sake, she didn't push it. She'd never go that far. That was an argument for another day. She was here for Uryuu and she would stay here for as long as it took to get his bone head of a father to come and see him without revealing the true nature of his injuries if she could help it.

"Does this have a point?" Ryuuken asked unusually gruffly.

"You need to come see him." Takari answered immediately. There was a long, steely silence. The tension was palpable. Even past the frosted glass where his Secretary was watching.

"No."

"God, you're stubborn." Takari quipped heavily.

"I know what Isshin is trying to do." Ryuuken replied coolly. "He came here trying to convince me to take this time and repair my relationship with Uryuu who made it quite clear before he left that he wanted nothing to do with me. He even reimbursed me in full for paying for his housing. What good would it do to aggravate me, him _and_ his injuries to make a point?" Takari balled her hands into fist but they remained crossed. She was really trying to hold back. She knew Ryuuken wasn't truly angry at Uyruu, she didn't want to have to reveal news that he should hear from Uyruu himself.

"You still don't get it." She said shifting her weight tiredly. She rubbed her brow. "Isshin's too nice to tell you. He wouldn't ask me to come and knock some sense into you if this wasn't serious." She said pointing to him.

"I don't know why he even bothered."

"Because besides me, Aisuru's the only one who ever could and she's dead." She replied ruthlessly. Ryuuken couldn't reply for a moment. Takari was right. There was another moment of disturbing silence. There was audible "click" as Ryuuken sat back in his chair.

"Why are you here?" Ryuuken asked. He knew she wasn't here_ just _because Isshin asked her to come here. "You're involved in the conflict in the Seiretei?" It was more of a statement than a question and it forced her to to elaborate.

"Yes and I'm actually under orders." Takari replied. "And so is my daughter."

"Your son?" He asked more out of curiosity than anything else.

"Decidedly not." He'd hit a wound, a fresh wound right over the heart that was still bleeding. He sighed, instantly regretting it. At least when Takari hit sore spots, she was just plucking at old scar tissue. He didn't know what had happened to her son he made a note to bring it up again.

"I'm sorry, Takari-san." He said. She took note of the use of her first name. He was apologizing for her son too, he didn't even have to say it. "But I can't continue to harbor my son's incessant need to thwart every possible attempt to, as you say "knock some sense" into him. Maybe this time he will give up this ridiculous idea of fighting the dead and..."

"Come home?" She finished. Ryuuken glared. He hated it when she did that. "You know that's not who he is."

"I supposed this is the moment when you tell him how much alike we were at this age and if I just try hard something..."

"Is that what _Isshin_ said to you?" Takari replied with a rolled of her eyes. Never send a man to do a woman's job. "Please. You two couldn't be anymore different. If anything he's more like his mother for all of his stubbornness and snark." She said evenly. Ryuuken didn't reply right away. He knew she was right.

"Be that as it may." Ryuuken said tiredly. He stood and walked toward the door as if to see her out. "If he wants to continue to do what he wants, he's made it clear to me that he doesn't need me."

"He's sorry." Those two words were sudden, quiet and just by Ryuuken's ear as she spoke. They stopped him in his tracks. Takari let out a long, strained sigh. "Sit down." She added. "I'm afraid I haven't been completely honest with you."

She didn't want to do this. She really really really, didn't want to do this. Isshin practically begged her not to and her godson would never forgive her but it was the only way that Ryuuken would be able to understand. When Takari got quiet. It was serious. Life or death serious. Ryuuken walked calmly back to his desk but didn't sit down.

From outside, his secretary watched with furrowed brows as Ryuuken's eyes went wide. Every word from that woman's mouth forced him back into his hair making him nearly catatonic. The woman herself seemed to be quite overwhelmed herself. She looked off to the side and brushed the tears coming from her eyes. He'd heard bits and pieces he wondered if the Hospital Director's son was alright. Judging by their faces, he decided the answer was no.

"...He doesn't sleep much." Takari continued softly. "But when he does, the screaming is horrible. Normally, I can't hear what he's saying but he calls for you. Many times he's _begged_ for your forgiveness." She rounded the desk. "And not for things that he's done or said but for..." She closed her eyes, unable to bring herself to say it. She bent down to his level. "Don't let him lose his will to fight. Let him know that his father is still his father. Ichigo and Ayasegawa can't sustain him for much longer." More silence. "Please, Ryuuken."

Takari never pleaded like that. Ever.

"Right." Ryuuken said solemnly. He couldn't quite bring himself to ever say "you win" even when he was thoroughly defeated. He stood to his feet walked past her. "Are you still able to open a Senkaimon?" He asked putting on his jacket as if he were just going outside. Takari smiled.

"You talk as if I've gotten old or something." Ryuuken chuckled softly. Together, the two left his office leaving the poor secretary confused.

"Cancel my meeting with the Hospital's CFO. I'll be gone indefinitely."

"But..."

"And consider yourself on a week's paid vacation." That shut the young man up almost immediately. With that, the two left the hospital but never made it out the front door.

_The Seireitei: The Fourth Division _

Isshin wasn't happy with her. That much Takari knew. She could see his frowning face. She let Ryuuken go ahead of her as she stopped and and glanced over at him. She wasn't used to seeing normally goofy Isshin scowling especially at her. Unlike she and Isshin's late wife, they rarely fought. That was about to change. Like so many other things in their lives.

"He should have heard it from Uryuu." Isshin stated.

"I know." Takari replied bending her head. "I wish I was as creative as Aisuru. She would've been able to get his ass out of that office without having to resort to such drastic measures." She laughed but it held no mirth at all.

"Do you think they'll be alright?" Isshin asked accepting her explanation. Takari frowned and folded her arms and looked down the hallways where Ryuuken had vanished.

"Hard to say."

Yumichika stood in front of Uryuu's door arms folded, eyes closed. He was obviously completely exhausted. If it weren't for the door, he wouldn't be standing. He figured that he must look a mess and for once, he didn't give a shit. It was hard to care about _anything_ anymore. The other shinigami who didn't know what had happened often asked him "Where did Madarame-sama go?" Then out of nowhere, Captain Zaraki would appeared just to snarl and shout at them to mind their own_ fucking business._ It was his way of showing affection Yumichika supposed. Every so often the Captain would make his way to Ishida's room and briefly make eye contact with Yumichika then leave. Occasionally Yachiru would hand him a piece of candy. She'd been quiet lately. Everything was quieter. Seeing an unusual pair of shoes before him, Yumichika looked up and scowled at the man before him.

"You're Ryuuken?" Once again more of a statement than a question.

"I'm his father." Ryuuken replied sharply. Yumichika's response wasn't a positive one. Those bags under his eyes gave him a cruel and calculating look that even Ryuuken could tell was completely alien to the shinigami's face.

"He's been calling for you." He replied not raising or lowering his voice.

"I know."

"For days."

"I know." Yumichika looked away for a moment. The long, heavy silence was back. Yet, with this Shinigami, Ryuuken realized that this silence was different. He was looking into the eyes of a man who'd come close to losing his resolve and with it, everything he had or maybe he'd already lost it and was desperately searching for a way to get it back. He knew that look. He'd worn it since the day Uryuu turned eight. He wondered to himself why Uryuu never explained why he hated his own birthday so much. Surely, most rational people would pardon him instead of insisting that a party be thrown. Finally, Yumichika and Ryuuken reached an understanding without sharing a another word between them. Yumichika scooted his heavy body to the side but he didn't open the door for him. Just as Ryuuken passed him, he decided to speak. It seemed Ryuuken could only grasp the gravity of the situation when it was spoken closely to his ear.

"Be gentle with him." Yumichika looking at the ground. "A beautiful young man like him, as broken as he is, deserves to be handled delicately." Ryuuken placed his hand on the door handle.

"I used to be good at delicate situations." Ryuuken remarked tersely. Yumichika snorted.

"Well, you've just run out of time to get back into practice." Nothing more was said between the two as Ryuuken opened the door. Yumichika shut his eyes again hearing the sharp intake of breath from the man. He figured it qualified as a gasp. The door slid shut just as he heard Ichigo's voice.

"He's been calling for you. What took you so long?" As usual he had no use for manners not when it came to such a dire situation. Yumichika was once again left guarding the door waiting for his turn. As much as Ichigo hated to admit it, he had to rest sometime. He wondered what the man thought staring into his son's haunted, catatonic eyes.

Perhaps it was the same thing everyone else was thinking.

_So? Thoughts? Anticipations? Suggestions? But most of all do you like it? I warn you, should this story ever be fully written, I fully intend for it to go far beyond a normal slash fanfiction. See if you can guess which couples I'll use. Just like my Zelda fanfiction, it'll be dark possibly even disturbing depending on how far I decided to take it and it'll peg some pretty sensitive issues. So tread with caution. Please review. I know this is short but please try your best to share some constructive criticism. Either way, I'm glad you read this whether you leave a review or not. I hope it leaves you wanting more. _

_With love,_

_East_


	2. UPDATE!

Hullo! Important note everyone!

I have decided to do this entire story. As far a I can tell it's going to be long. Once again to my Zelda fans: I still don't have my files from my old computer. My sincerest apologies. Either way The Cycle Revisited is up and running. Ta!

With love,

East.


End file.
